2016 Martinelli Syrah Hop Barn Hill
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2016 Syrah Hop Barn Hill is dense, unctuous and flamboyant to the core. Even with all of its textural intensity, the 2016 retains striking energy and nuance. Blackberry jam, smoke, tobacco, game, licorice and spice flesh out in this concentrated, sumptuous Syrah from Martinelli. A few years in bottle should help in softening the big, potent tannins.
Opaque purple-black in color, the 2016 Syrah Hop Barn Hill features savory aromas of blackberry jam, black cherry pie, blue fruit preserves, smoked meats and bacon fat with bitter chocolate and olive nuances—holy smokes! I could smell this all day. Full-bodied, it fills the mouth with savory dark fruits supported by very ripe, firm, fine-grained tannins and mouthwatering acidity, with a long, ultra savory finish. Only 72 cases were made.
About the producer
Martinelli is a Sonoma benchmark for vineyard-designate bottlings—wines built to highlight how strongly a single site can shape Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Across the range, the focus stays consistent: small-production bottlings that feel distinctly tied to where they’re grown.